Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said he supports a resolution passed by the National Sheriffs’ Association on the topic of gun control.

Shirley said he was in Washington, D.C. last week as the association presented the resolution.

“Sheriffs strongly support our citizens’ protected rights to bear arms under the Second Amendment and the National Sheriffs’ Association does not support any laws that deprive any citizen rights provided under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

The resolution also stated that the Sheriffs’ Association further recognizes the ultimate authority of the courts in interpreting the scope of those constitutional rights.

The resolution also stated that the cause of gun violence must be addressed on many fronts.

Shirley said he also agreed with that statement.

“We have got to look at things like mental health, media violence, gangs, drugs, the breakdown of the family, and strengthening laws to reduce access of legally prohibited persons to have firearms and to enforce the laws that are already on the books today,” said Shirley.

Shirley did say that he believes there is support within the Sheriffs’ Association for strengthening background checks.